Pressure equalizing device for continuous milk delivery systems



2,680,553 CONTINUOUS MILK DELIVERY SYSTEMS June 8, 1954 H. w. HEINPRESSURE EQUALIZING DEVICE FOR Filed Oct. 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June8, 1954 H. w. HEIN 2,680,553

PRESSURE EQUALIZING DEVICE FOR CONTINUOUS MILK DELIVERY SYSTEMS FiledOct. 28, 1950 2 Sheets-$heet 2 m 3 *3 a-A,

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V 1;!!! E g R 5 SA i 1 i I .J I! {1 \J f Patented June 8, 1954 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OF F ICE PRESSURE EQUALIZ TIN UOUS MILK Harold W.

national Harvester New Jersey ING DEVICE FOR CON- DELIVERY SYSTEMS Hein,Chicago, Ill., assignor to Inter- Company;

a corporation of Application October 28, 1950, Serial No. 192,770

Claims.

may occur due to blocks created by themilk as it goes through theconnecting conduits of the cans occur.

It is another object toprovideavacuum equalizing unit for connectingconduits between drop inthe system ahead of the milk block.

In the above-type of milk'ing'system; it hasalso been found I that anundesirableamount of turbulence may be created as the milk flows fromaccompanying sheets of drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a continuous milk deliverysystem, the system being system is generally designated by the referencecharacter II].

can to seal the cans from the atmosphere.

filling head I2 is provided with an inlet tube l3 and an outlet tube It.The outlet tube preceding can I i is connected to the inlet of asucceeding can H suitably connected to elbows It.

A vacuum tube l1 provides an outlet on the last can ll of the series.The vacuum tube l is conwhich' is in communication extension 29' whichextends downwardly into open end of the extension .220 may be suitablysealed by means of a ball float within the trap the trap I9. '1

valve i9 when the liquid level :19 rises to seat said ball valve againstthe exten tube 13 by means of conduits l5 vacuum regulator 22 being of aconventional type and operating in a conventional manner.

A filling device for filling the milk cans is generally designated bythe reference character 23. The filling device 23 comprises a containerat provided with a m'lk receiving chamber 25. The chamber 25 is incommunication with and connected to a conduit 26 which in turn isconnected to the first milk inlet connection It. A top wall 21 of thecontainer 24 supports an inlet tube 28 extending downwardly into thechamber 25. The inlet tube 28 is connected to the conduit 29 whichextends to a teat cup cluster 39 positioned at the animal to be milked.

A pressure equalizing device is indicated at 3!. The equalizing device3\ includes a vacuum connection 32 in the form of a nipple 33 connectedto the top wall 21 of the container 2% and in communication with thechamber 25. A rubber check valve 34 is seated Over the upper end of thenipple 33 for normally sealing the same. A weight 35 is connected to thecheck valve 34 and tends to maintain the valve 34 in sealing relationwith respect to the nipple 33, as most clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. Ahose or conduit 36 is connected to the nipple 33 and to a T connection3'! in communication with the vacuum connection 20. A shut-off cock 38is also connected to the T 31 and can function in a usual manner.

During the operation, milk from the teat cup cluster flows through thepipeline 29 into the chamber 25. The cans H are all subjected to avacuum depression since they are in communication with the vacuumconnection 20. Milk flows down into the container 24 and downwardlythrough the conduit 28 into the first can i l of the series. When thefirst can has been filled, milk flows through the outlet i l of thefirst can through the inlet i3 into the succeeding can until the saidcan is filled. Milk continues to fiow in this manner until the last canin the series is filled, whereupon overflow into the trap- !9 causes thevalve is to shut off the vacuum by seating itself against the open endextension 20'. Thus the system is shut off and operation ceases.

During normal operation when there are no blockages in the system thecheck valve 3-4 is held in a closed position by the weight combined withthe vacuum existing in the cans H and in the container 24 as against thepulling action of the vacuum in the conduit 36. When, however, a milkblock occurs in any one of the conduits i5, there is a drop in systemwhich is ahead of the block and in the container 24 and thus the checkvalve 34 will now be moved upwardly from its seat and the container 25will be maintained under the same vacuum depression that exists in thesystem when there are no blockages present. Thus since the same primarysource of vacuum is used the pressure equalizing device maintains aconstant and consistent vacuum pressure at a point which is ahead of thecan connections so that any blocking in the can connections does notaffect the vacuum pressure at the point of milking. The pressureequalizing device is also eifective to remove any excess of air which isdrawn in with the milk and since this air is withdrawn before it reachesthe can and the can connections, turbulence is greatly decreased andthus the chances of butterfat globules forming are also greatlyminimized.

Throughout the specification and claims the phrases first can of theseries and last can of the series are used. The last can of the seriesin both the preferred embodiment and in the modification refers to thecan which precedes and is directly connected to the trap IS. The "firstcan of the series in the preferred embodiment refers to the first canfollowing the container 24. The first can of the series in themodification refers to the can ll immediately following the can 49 andin direct communication therewith.

The modification shown in Fig. 2 is generally quite similar to thestructure shown in Fig. 1. Consequently, the reference characters tolike parts of both systems are the same. In Fig. 2 the arrangement hasbeen made to omit the separate container 24 and the first can of theseries is connected in a manner to achieve the same function that thecontainer 24 normally would supply. The filling device in thismodification therefore is generally referred to by the referencecharacter 46 which describes a can of similar shape as cans H of thesystem. The can at is provided with a can closure head ii suitablysealing said can. A milk outlet A2 is connected by means of a conduit 45to the inlet it of the first can of the series to be filled. The milkoutlet 42 extends downwardly into the can ie adjacent to the bottom ofsaid can. A milk inlet 53 projects through the closure head into the can-49, this inlet being connected to the conduit at which is incommunication with the teat cup cluster 38. The pressure equalizingdevice 3| is the same as described in the above description of thepreferred embodiment. The vacuum connection 32 is the same, in this casethe said connection being connected to the can closure head ii of thecan 40.

Te operation of the device shown in Fig. 2 is the same as that shown inFig. 1. Milk flows into the can do through the inlet 63 and is thereuponcarried to the first can H of the series through the milk outlet 42.During normal operation when there are no blockages in the system thecheck valve 34 on the can 4!] is held in a closed position due to theweight 35 when combined with the vacuum existing in the can ii) and inthe cans H which exert a pulling action to maintain the valve S t on itsseat. When, however, a milk block occurs in any one of the conduits 15or connections l6, there is a drop in the vacuum pressure in that partof the system which is ahead of the block. Since the vacuum drops in thecontainer 48 therefore the check valve 3 is pulled upwardly from itsseat almost simultaneously with the vacuum drop and thus the vacuumpressure is quickly again brought up to the desired degree so that thepressure at the teat cup cluster is maintained. The equalizing device 3!also serves to remove any excess of air which may enter into the systemat the teat cup cluster. When the blockage of milk clears itself, thevalve 3 again resumes its closed position and normal operationcontinues.

It can now be seen that a milking and filling system has been describedwhich will accomplish the stated objects of the invention. The pressureequalizing device 3! is effective to overcome any deficiencies in asystem of this type which might be caused by blocking of the milk andsubsequent drop or variations in the vacuum pressure.

It must be understood that changes and further modifications may be madewhich do not depart from the spirt of the invention as disclosed nor thescope thereof. as defined in the appended claims.

2,680,553 What is claimed is: ing a series of cans to a predeterminedlevel com- 1. A milk delivery system for successively fillprisinlurality of cans, an inlet tube on each filling head with the milk inlettube of a succans, said filling arrangement includ ng a milk ceedingfilling head, a first vacuum connection 10 receiving chamber, meanscontinuously connectconnected to the last can of the series for proingsaid receiving chamber to the inlet tube of viding a first source ofminus p essure in all of said first can a vacuum connection connectedthe cans 01 said series, a filling dev ce connected to said chamber, aconduit connected to said vacconnected to the upper ortion of saidcontainer valve being movable in response to a greater vacand projectingdownwardly into said chamber, uum in said conduit than in said cans toprosaid milk inlet connection being adapted to con- 20 vide forcommunication between the conduit and neat to a mill: line of a milkingsystem, a secthe chamber, and means connecting said chamond vacuumconnection on said container in t a m k line o p ovid e continuouscommunication with said first vacuum connecflow of milk to said cansduring the milking option and adapted to communicate with said eration.chamber, said second vacuum connection includ- A milk de y System forsuccessively filling an automatically operable check valve opening aseries of cans to a predetermined level coming' outwardly of the chamberand responsi e prising a plurality of cans, an inlet tube on each to a,g eater acuum in said econd acuum goncan, an outlet tube 011 each can,means connectnectlon tnan in sa1d chamber whereby sald secmg the Inlet uof One can to the Outlet tube first vacuum connection. said cans, amill: filling arrangement for said 2. A milk delivery system forsuccessively fillcans, d filling a an m t in ludin a milk ing aplurality of cans to a predetermined level YeBeil/illg Chamber, meansContinuously eCtcomprising a plurality f cans, an inlet t on ing saidreceiving chamber to the inlet tube of th fir t; vacuum connecuon t provde a responsive to a greater vacuum in said conduit uum depressionWithin said cans, a milk filling ar than Sald chambers to 00611 nd placesaid rangement for sand cans lncludlng means conduit in communicationwith said chamber and check valve for said conduit, said check valve 50positioned above the first can of the Se ies.

valve being simultaneously movabledn response References Cited in thefile of this patent to a greater vacuum in said conduit than in saidNITE STATES PATENTS cans to place said conduit in communication withNumber Name D said first can and said milk filling arrangement 552,037,4 7 Hapgood Apr 1 l l936 :luring the pressure differential betweensaid cans 2,330,771 M D l Jun} 31 19 5 tnd said conduit. 1493 101 DuncanFeb. 21, 1950

